


«T 




CHARLES PAINE 

First President 

March 11, 1880 - September 14, 1881 






mm 

M I Twenty-Five 



^ 

^ 




Kears of Progress 



Being a Slight Historical Sk^t.h I 

of the I 

Civil Engineers' Club 

of Cleveland 



1880 - J 905 



Privately Printed 

Cleveland O 

MCMV 



,'^,.K 






LIBRARY of OONGRESS 
Two Copies rteceived 

MAR m 1905 

Oopyrigni tnxry 

OUVSS Ct XXc. Not 

COPY 3. 



Copyright 1905 

The Civil Engineers' Club 

Cleveland O 



Four hundred seventeen copies of this little 
book have been imprinted, of which this is 



^o. Z/3 - 



The past century is aptly termed the " Century 
of Science," and the scientific gains surpass and 
" outnumber the great inventions of all the pre- 
vious centuries w^ithin historic times." As a 
consequence the scientific man occupies the fore- 
ground in any correct picture of modern life, — 
and the tendency of such men to group them- 
selves into associations for the advancement of 
practical science, and the beneficial results secured 
to members and the world at large by these 
organizations, must be the excuse for the pres- 
entation of this short historic sketch of the Civil 
Engineers' Club of Cleveland covering the 
twenty-five years of its existence. 



1880 HISTORIC EVENTS 1905 

*' The inaudible and noiseless foot of time 

Early in 1 880, Mr. Charles Latimer, Chief 1880 
Engineer of The Atlantic & Great Western 
Railway (now a part of the Erie System), organ- 
ized a society which had for its object the study 
of the Great Pyramid, and also to combat the 
introduction of the Metric System. 

About this time a little coterie of Engineers, 
namely Messrs. C. H. Burgess, County Sur- 
veyor, Walter P. Rice, Asst. U. S. Engineer, 
and Hosea Paul, Civil Engineer, were in the 
habit of meeting occasionally at the office of 
the first named gentleman in the Court House, 
and discussmg current events. At one of these 
informal talks it developed that each had been 
invited to join the new organization and had 
declined, for much the same reasons. 

While acknowledging that the Great Pyra- 
mid was deserving of study by the historian and 
the archaeologist, if not the engineer, they 
could not attach to it any mystic or religious 
significance of present value ; pyramidal dimen- 
sions, and their reputed coincidences with mathe- 






i?^'* 



matical laws or physical incidents, did not appeal 
to them. As for the Metric System, so far from 
being opposed to it, they in common with most 

of the younger 
school of Engineers 
believed thoroughly 
in a Decimal Sys- 
tem, and further be- 
lieved the Metric 
System to be a dis- 
tinct improvement 
on the English Sys- 
tem of Weights and 
Measures. 

With these ideas 
in common the three 
gentlemen held sev- 
eral conferences on 
the subject of or- 
ganizing a society to 
advocate the Metric 
System. An examination and inquiry into the 
number of individuals engaged in Engineering 
and allied pursuits reached such a large total 
that the inspiration came to them that it was 
possible to organize a society on a broader basis, 
the importance of Metric System advocacy being 
made secondary to the idea of a permanent 
Engineering Society in the City of Cleveland. 




Gen John M Wilson USA 
Second President, 1 882-1 883 



The originators readily enlisted the hearty co-op- 
eration of such gentlemen as Messrs. Charles A. 
Walter, J. S. Oviatt and S. J. Baker, of the City 
Civil Engineer's 
department, and 
Messrs. Mordecai, 
John Wainwright, 
Gustav Lindenthal 
and Arthur M.Wel- 
lington, at that time 
constituting Mr. 
Latimer's engi- 
neering staff on the 
Atlantic & Great 
Western Railway. 
Under the able 
guidance of the 
above gentlemen, 
with Messrs. Rice, 
Burgess and Paul, 
first named, ten in 
all, an organization of the Engineers of Cleve- 
land was subsequently consummated. 

On this date the first regular organization of February 28 
the Civil Engineers of Cleveland was effected ^^^^ 
at the office of the County Surveyor, in the New 
Court House on Seneca Street. 

The records show that the following 
gentlemen were present: Walter P, Rice, 




Josephus F Holloway 
Third President, i 883-1 886 



March 9 
1880 



March 13 
1880 



First 
Officers 



March 27 
1880 



Hosea Paul, C. H. Burgess, S. J. Baker, C. A. 

Walter, A. Mordecai, J. Wainwright, G. 

Lindenthal, J. S. Oviatt, J. B. Davis. 

Constitution and 
By-Laws adopted, 
except as to name 
of organization. 

Large accession 
of members. Name 
of "The Civil En- 
gineers' Club of 
Cleveland" adopted. 
Officers elected: 
President, Charles 
Paine ; Vice-Presi- 
dent, A. Mordecai; 
CorrespondingSec. , 
Waher P. Rice ; 

Charles Latimer Recording Sec, 

Fourth President, I 886-1 887 C.H. B U r ge S S ; 

Treas.C.A.Walter; 
Committee on Library and Publication : Hosea 
Paul, M. E. Rawson, H. M. Claffen ; Com- 
mittee on Program: G. A. Hyde, E. O. 
Schwagerl, Wm. Reuschel, A. M. Welling- 
ton, C. M. Barber. 

Special meeting at the Board of Education 
Rooms. Public invited. Inaugural address by 
President Charles Paine. Addresses by Col. J. 




M. Wilson, Col. Chas. Whittlesey, Hon. Geo. 
H. Ely, Prof. John White, Rev. J. W. Brown. 

The inaugural address of the first President of 
the Civil Engineers* 
Club of Cleveland, 
Mr. Charles Paine, 
scintillates w^ith 
bright points and 
good advice. 

"Civil Engineer- 
ing: 'The art of con- 
verting the powders 
of nature to the 
service of man.' " 

" Let no member 
suppose that the 
Club will run itself." 

" Nothing pro- 
vokes animated and 
wholesome discus- 
sion like a well pre- 
pared paper." " I urge you to bring to 
meetings all your experiences, discussions, 
coveries, inventions, and mistakes." 

"Above all things give the Club the advan- 
tage of your mistakes." 

To the worshipers of beauty, pure thoughts, 
and charming abstractions who hold the opinion 
that "Practical applications of science are not the 



Inaugural 
Address 




John Whitelaw 
Fifth President, 1887- 



the 
dis- 



highest but rather the lowest uses which can be 
made of the revelations of the divine laws" and 
who affect to believe that "The poor Indian 

whose untutored 
mind sees God in 
clouds and hears 
Him in the wind," is 
in some respects 
better than that of 
the civilized crea- 
ture who enjoys less 
of superstition but 
more of comfort, 
he has this to say : 
"We have set the 
romantic water-fall 
to grinding meal in- 
stead of making our 
squaws pound it 
with stones. We 
have even dese- 
crated the plains of Greece, where once rose a 
glorious temple to Pallas Athene, by the erection 
of an ugly railway station. Bad as this is (and 
I would deplore the loss of any bit of beauty), 
it seems to me that the improvement of the 
race of men from primeval savagery to its present 
status has been due more to inventors than to 
any other class." 




Worcester R Warner 
Sixth President, 1 889-1 890 



t% 



He claims for the profession: " That it is the 
pioneer of spiritual progress ; that the Engineer 
prepares the world for healthful, convenient, 
happy hving: in 



that he drains the 
marshes, builds the 
bridges, constructs 
the highways, and 
lays out the cities." 

"Mechanical En- 
gineering has set the 
forces of nature to 
do the worst drudg- 
ery that lay upon the 
shoulders of men." 

Resolution by 
Walter P. Rice 
suggesting the joint 
publication of pro- 
ceedings with other 
similar societies. 

A. M. Wellington presented plan for joint J^^y 3 
publication. Subject referred to Committee on 
Publication and Library with President Paine 
and Mr. Wellington. 

After extended correspondence, a meeting December 4 
was held in Chicago, on Dec. 4, 1 880, for the 
purpose of deciding finally upon articles of 
association, Messrs. A. M. Wellington and M. E. 




April 3 
1880 



William H Searles 
Seventh President, 1890- 



June 11 
1881 



Rawson representing the Cleveland Club. These 
articles assured the assent of the following 
Societies : Boston Society of Engineers, January 

19, 1881. ^ 

Engineers' Club 
of St. Louis, Jan- 
uary 5, 188 1. 

Civil Engineers' 
Club of Cleveland, 
January 8, 1 88 1 . 

Western Society 
of Engineers, April 
5, 1881. 

This action of the 
several Societies 
augmented by the 
appointment of a 
Board of Managers 
established the As- 
sociation of Engi- 
neering Societies. 
Articles of "The Association of Engineering 
Societies" adopted, and the publication of the 
Journal of the Association authorized at a meet- 
ing held in Cleveland, this date. 

A. M. Wellington was appointed Manager 
for the Civil Engineers' Club of Cleveland, and 
upon his resignation April 2, 1 88 1 , to fill a pro- 
fessional engagement in Mexico, Mr. M. E. 




Joseph Leon Gobeille 
Eighth President, i89i-i< 



92 



Rawson was appointed to the vacancy. 

Annual meeting. Mr. Chas. Paine re-elected 
President of the Club. 

First meeting of 
Club in new rooms 
in the Case Library 
Building. 

Resignation of 
Charles Paine, as 
President of the 
Club, to accept an 
important position 
on an Eastern rail- 
way. 

First number of 
the Journal of the 
Association of En- 
gineering Societies 
published. Con- 
tained the inaugu- 
ral address of Pres. 
Paine, and a paper on pavements from a mem- 
ber of the Cleveland Club. 

The year 1905 is the 25th year of the Jour- 
nal's continuous publication. 

Colonel Jno. M. Wilson, U. S. A., elected 
President of the Club. 

Colonel Jno. M. Wilson tendered his resig- 
nation as President, owing to his promotion 




Walter P Rice 
Ninth President, 1892- 



1893 



March 12 
1881 

April 2 
1881 



September 14 
1881 



November 
1881 



March 11 
1882 

September 12 
1882 



and transfer to headquarters at Washington. 
J. F. HoUoway elected President in 1883, 
Charles Latimer in 1 886, and Jno. Whitelaw 

in 1887. Each of 
the last three is 
now dead. All 
the other Past 
Presidents are still 
living, and with one 
or two exceptions 
. are all in active bus- 
iness. 

The above chron- 
icled events em- 
brace the inception 
and early history of 
the Club to the time 
when it became a 
Albert H Porter firmly established 

Tenth President, 1 893-1 894 organization. From 
the latter time to 
date its history has been, perhaps, not specially 
eventful, with the exception of a few occasions 
which will be related en passant. Clubs of 
this kind are apt to be extremely conservative 
as bodies and perhaps deserve the stinging re- 
mark made in reference to one of the National 
Societies, that "it did not have the courage of 
its convictions," and that "it had no convictions ;" 




however, the Civil Engineers' Club of Cleveland 
on several notable occasions forcibly expressed 
its sentiments on matters of public concern and 
touching upon the 
Engineering profes- 
sion. It has never 
seen the necessity 
of receding from 
the position taken, 
and its attitude v^as 
directly or indirectly 
beneficial. 

A rather notice- 
able feature in the 
career of the Club 
has been the nearly 
general adoption of 
water at its annual 
banquets, in defer- 
ence to the senti- 
ments of a majority 
of its members,— many of whom doubtless ob- 
jected to the use of wine at these annual gather- 
ings who might not object to its use on other 
occasions. During the discussion of the subject, 
the Club had a fortunate escape from becoming 
on the one hand a typical temperance society, 
with annual parades, badges and banners ; or on 
the other, a society going quite to the other 




Ambrose Swasey 
Eleventh President, 1 894-1 895 



if^ 



extreme: either of which might have ended the 
history of the Club at this point. Fortunately, 
however, the Club has escaped both these ex- 
tremes, and doubt- 
^^^^..,. less decided wisely 

^f^ in setting an ex- 

'' ample of abstinence 

from strong waters, 
notwithstanding 
the opinion of many 
members that wa- 
ter is chiefly useful 
for purposes of na- 
vigation, bathing, 
and to build bridges 
over. The Society 
still continues to 
drink to toasts with 
microbe -infected 
water, and rye, 
faces. 

Omar Khayyam comments upon the situation 
as follows: 

" Well," murmur'd one, "Let whoso make or buy, 
My Clay with long Oblivion is gone dry : 
But fill me with the old familiar Juice, 
Methinks I might recover by and by." 

It is only fair to state that the after-dinner 
speeches have not as a rule been as dry as the 




Augustus Mordecai 
Twelfth President, 1 895-1 



banquets; the associations that group them- 
selves around the annual meetings of the past will 
always present a pleasing retrospect to the par- 
ticipants, mingled 
with sorrow for 
the absent faces of 
able and strongmen 
who have crossed 
the eternal bridge, 
and of those whose 
duties have led 
them elsewhere. 

On this date a 
rather noteworthy 
event took place as 
chronicled by the 
following action : 

"The under- 
signed Committee, Charles S Howe 
by authority of the Thirteenth President, 189 6- 1897 

Civil Engineers' 

Club of Cleveland, on August 7th issued a 
circular to the Engineering Societies throughout 
the country, proposing a meeting of representa- 
tives to discuss the subject of the relation of 
Army and Civil Engineers on Government work, 
and the propriety and method of obtaining 
laws which shall place Civilian Engineers on an 
equal footing with Army Engineers, on purely 




October 27 
1885 



Dec. 3, 4, 

1885 



December 15 
1885 



Civil Engineering work of the Government. 
John Eisenmann, Walter P. Rice, J. J. Laman, 
Wm. T. Blunt, James Ritchie, Committee." 

Convention of 
Civil Engineers 
held in Cleveland, 
to consider the re- 
lation betw^een the 
Civil and Military 
Engineers upon 
Civil Public Works. 
Resolution 
passed to adopt, as 
the sense of the 
Club, the report 
submitted to the 
Convention, repre- 
senting the Civil 
Engineering Socie- 
ties of the United 
States, by their 
delegates assembled at Cleveland, Ohio. This 
movement soon spread, and early enlisted the 
support of some of the ablest Engineers of this 
country, including such names as L. E. Cooley, 
L. M. Haupt, E. L. Corthell, and others of 
national reputation. Twenty-five Engineering 
Societies throughout the country espoused the 
movement. A vast amount of study, preliminary 




James Ritchie 
Fourteenth President, 1897-1^ 



research, and investigation into the systems of 
Internal Improvements of other countries pre- 
ceded definite action, vv^hich culminated 
in the so-called Cul- 
lom-Breckinridge 
Bill, before Con- 
gress, entitled "A 
bill for the establish- 
ment of a Bureau 
to be know^n as a 
Bureau of Harbors 
and Water-ways." 

It has been said by 
persons acquainted 
with the methods 
of Congress and 
other Legislative 
bodies, that a good 
bill, one whose 
merits are self-evi- 
dent, one that does 
not need the bolstering up of specious argu- 
ments — /5 the most difficult bill in the world 
to pass. 

This perhaps accounts for the failure of the 
bill to pass, although the agitation we believe 
was productive of some good in causing the 
installation of continuous appropriations by the 
Government for internal improvements, and the 




Frank C Osborn 
Fifteenth President, 1 898-1 899 



April 13 

1886 



May 27 

1891 



employment of Civil Engineers under Civil Ser- 
vice rules in the U. S. Engineer Department. 
A red letter day; caused by Mr. James 
Ritchie's paper on 
the Foundations of 
the Garfield Monu- 
ment, located in 
Lake Vievv^ Ceme- 
tery in this city. 
The criticisms of 
this paper, and its 
discussion by mem- 
bers of the Club, 
led to the appoint- 
ment of a Commit- 
tee. The report of 
this committee 
made plain that, 
from an Engineer- 
ing view^point, in- 
excusable blunders 
had been perpetrated in the design for the 
foundation, for which the Architect disclaimed 
responsibility. The design, after this discussion, 
was very materially modified by reducing the 
height of the monument, thereby lessening the 
load on the foundations; the reason given was 
limitation of funds. 

" The Civil Engineers' Club of Cleveland," 




Gen Jared A Smith USA 
Sixteenth President, i 899-1900 



incorporated under the laws of Ohio. Incor- 
porators, J. L. Gobeille, M. E. Rawson, S. J. 
Baker, N. P. Bowler, C. M. Barber, A. H. 
Porter and F. C 
Osborn. .^— ^«— ^^-»h«^ 

At this time the ^K^^^^^^^ ^^^^ -^ 
Civil Engineers' ^^» .z-^m^K^m. 

Club of Cleveland 
entered into an ar- 
rangement for joint 
occupation of quar- 
ters with the Elec- 
tric Club, Architec- 
tural Club, and 
Chemical Society. ^ma^^^^^^^^^^ 

First meeting of ^K/K^^^^^m isgV^ 
the Club in its new 
quarters in the 

Arcade Building. Charles W Hopkinson 

An old maxim Seventeenth President, 1 900-1 901 October 11 

States that " Three ^^^"^ 

removes are as bad as a fire." Club made its 
third move, going from the Arcade Building on 
Euclid Avenue, opposite Sheriff Street, to the 
Schofield Building on Euclid Avenue, corner 
of Erie Street. 

The social element has always been largely 
fostered by the Club, as evidenced by its Annual 
Banquets, Summer Picnics, and the custom, now 




unfortunately fallen into desuetude, of having light 
refreshments served after the regular sessions. 
These events have contributed much to the 

pleasure of mem- 
bers and invited 
guests. One of the 
memorable social 
functions of the past 
was the Compli- 
mentary Banquet 
and Reception, 
tendered by the 
Club to Col. J. M. 
Wilson, its Presi- 
dent, on Oct. 1 3, 
1882, the occasion 
of his departure 
from Cleveland. 
Charles H Benjamin Memorable on ac- 

Eighteenth President, 1901-1902 count of bright 

speeches, quick rep- 
artee and the presence of many distinguished 
faces no longer with us. 

More than one third of the gentlemen who 
graced the festive board on that night at the old 
Windsor Cafe on Bank Street have passed 
away, but not beyond recall by the memory of 
those who shared with them the pleasure and 
delight of that evening some twenty-three years 




ago. For the sake of "Auld Lang Syne " we 
reproduce the toasts, with the introductory re- 
mark of Vice-President J. F. HoUoway, that, "as 
this was the Club's 
off-day, and had 
met for pleasure, 
they were not ex- 
pected to talk very 
scientifically." 

"Egyptian Ques- 
tion, Chas. Latimer; 
Electric Spark, M. 
D. Leggett; Our 
City, Mayor Her- 
rick; Saddle Rocks, 
for Paving, B. F. 
Morse; The Lake 
Shore, C. P. Le- 

land; Light Hunt- Samud T Wdlman 

ing for Reservoirs, Nineteenth President, 1902- 1903 

J. Whitelaw; The 

Retiring President of the Club, W. J. Board- 
man; The Ohio Railway, Papered or Nickel 
Plated, J. H. Sargeant; Our Lights, G.A.Hyde; 
A Night Message, J. H. Wade; Hydraulic 
Elevators for Raising Spirits, H. M. Claflen. " 
It is needless to state that the above " feast 
of reason" did not cause any attacks of mental 
indigestion; the speakers handling their assigned 




Toasts 



March 8 
1904 



subjects in clever, masterly fashion, after receiv- 
ing the proper impetus from Mr. HoUow^ay in 
his usual humorous manner. 

A step in advance 
of other similar 
associations was 
made by the Club 
at this time by pro- 
viding for retention 
in the Club of cer- 
tain active members 
who, by reason of 
age, infirmity or 
other good cause, 
have tendered their 
resignations as 
members. When- 
ever, in the judg- 
ment of the Execu- 
tive Board, the long 
and efficient service 
of any such active member deserves the special 
recognition and acknowledgment of the Club, 
such person may be asked to withdraw his 
resignation; and may then be transferred to the 
Retired List of active members, where he is 
relieved from all future fees and dues of the Club, 
but entitled to all its privileges, except the right 
to vote and hold office. 




Walter C Parmley 
Twentieth President, 1 903-1 904 



Many valuable donations have been made to Donations 
the Club in time past by different members, 
notably Gen. J. M. Wilson, Chas. Paine, J. A. 
Bidwell, H. M. 
Claflen,CH.Has- 
vv^ell, and others. ^^^ 

That in the fu- ^^ 1^ Prophetic 

ture the Civil Engi- 
nee rs' Club of 
Cleveland w^ill de- 
velop along the 
lines of strength, 
virility and courage; 
that its influence 
for good will consti- 
tute a gradually ex- 
panding circle; that 
it vv^ill brush from its 

eyes the cobwebs Alexander E Brown 

of antiquated con- Twenty-first President, 1904- 190 5 

s er vatism, and 

shake from its feet the leaden sandals of pre- 
cedent, blazing its own trail across the coming 
years, 

"This learned I from the shadow of a tree 
That to and fro did sway upon a wall, 
Our shadow selves — our influence — may fall 




LIBRftRV OF CONGRESS 




